Most Bible translations use the word “faith” in hundreds of passages. Yet a strong argument can be made that what many people understand by “faith” – i.e., “just believing,” even if blindly – is not a Biblical idea at all! How can this be?
The Biblical Hebrew word sometimes translated as “faith” is אמונה (emunah), which actually means “reliability, trustworthiness, dependability, steadiness.” We can easily see this from the first two places in the Hebrew Bible where the word appears: a) “His [Moses’] hands were emunah until the sunset” (Exodus 17:12); b) “The Rock… a God of emunah” (Deuteronomy 32:4). For this reason, English Bibles usually translate emunah as “faithfulness” or something similar. However, in rare cases they switch to the problematic translation “faith.” A famous example comes from Habakkuk 2:4: “The righteous shall live by his faith.” This English version gives the impression that if someone lives by trusting and believing, then he or she will be regarded as virtuous. However, the Hebrew meaning is very different, more like, “The person of justice lives in steadfast reliability.”
The first-century Letter to the Hebrews is careful to emphasize this point. In quoting from Habakkuk, it uses Jewish-Greek πίστις (pistis) for Hebrew emunah. “My just one will live out of pistis/emunah [i.e., steadfast reliability]; and if he draws back [i.e., is not steadfastly reliable], then My soul will not take pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back… but rather those of pistis/emunah [i.e., who are indeed steadfastly reliable].” (Heb. 10:38-39)
This perspective sheds a lot of light on every passage where “faith” appears – including the very next verse, one of the most popular in the entire Bible. In the King James Version, Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A better translation would be, “And steadfast reliability is a foundation for what is hoped, a proving/testing of invisible realities.” The rest of the chapter then gives dramatic examples of people of justice who lived in steadfast reliability before God, thus bearing witness to Invisible Truth. That idea is not the same as “faith” in the sense of feeling an inner conviction and suppressing doubts about unprovable beliefs!
Amen and "Emunah". Todah. :) Israel Bible Center equips you with the tools you need to enter into the Jewish world of Scripture. We provide first-rate teaching, and the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s top scholars. As a student, you will be able to interact personally with our teaching faculty, and gain access to hundreds of hours of Bible courses, including The Name of God and Exploring Jewish Interpretation. Become a part of the community of teachers and students at Israel Bible Center today!
Wow! Thank you for this understanding. I'm more than surprised and enriched by it. It makes so much sense. Toda rabah! Lisa You're welcome, Lisa, and thank you for commenting! Israel Bible Center equips you with the tools you need to enter into the Jewish world of Scripture. We provide first-rate teaching, and the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s top scholars. As a student, you will be able to interact personally with our teaching faculty, and gain access to hundreds of hours of Bible courses, including The Name of God and Exploring Jewish Interpretation. Become a part of the community of teachers and students at Israel Bible Center today!
The English word faith is indeed misunderstood and I am positive I did not have enough of it to get saved, yet I was and am saved. The translation of a steadfast reliability as a foundation (Christ) helps me to explain where my strength came from (I did not have a word Holy Spirit). Our circle teaches that faith comes from READING the NT. I see in Hab 2:2 that those who READ it will run (steadfast reliability?), but am surprised to see that at the end the vision will SPEAK. That is a very interesting part of the Habakkuk context! A kind of personification of the vision itself. The Hebrew is וְיָפֵחַ (ve-yafeach) "and it mouths" or "and it will open its mouth." Referring to "the vision will speak", Scripture says, "faith [or steadfast reliability] comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Romans 10:17. So this "steadfast reliability"(faithfulness), this strength of being reliable, happens when we HEAR the still small voice of God SPEAK to us. For me, I can say that the Scriptural passages I remember the most come from some special moments when I actually heard the still small voice SPEAK to me about a verse or passage. Because I actually heard I am steadfast in knowing what I heard - no one can convince me about anything that is contrary to what I heard God speak.
I like the thought of reliability and trustworthyness. God certainly is and we should be. Thinking you can't loose out on blessing just because you believe is silly. We must become trustworthy as well. Obedience isn't just a thought. It is an action. Well, that is quite an experience, to say the least! Yes, I think Hebrew emunah and the related verbal forms imply living in a particular manner, rather than just feeling or thinking something. We are glad that you are finding our articles enlightening. You’ve already started your path into Scripture, but there’s so much more that awaits you! Consider enrolling in our immersive online courses: The Name of God or Exploring Jewish Interpretation. We guarantee that they will deepen your understanding of Scripture and enrich your faith experience.
Thank you so much Dr. Yeshaya Gruber, it really helps to understand the root of the word "emunah". It now makes more sense the epistle of James/Ya'akov in the New Testament. Faith + Actions -> Faithfulness or "emunah". Just trying to grasp the big picture. Have a great week! Thank you for this comment, David! Yes, in my reading of Jacob's letter he is trying to explain the Biblical Hebrew concept of emunah while writing in Jewish-Greek and therefore using Greek words (which often convey different ranges of meaning). Philo of Alexandria - another Jewish-Greek essayist of the first century - also wrote some similar texts in attempting to convey a Biblical understanding of "faith" via the Greek language. Ditto on the James 2:18-24 passage, it reads very different this way with deeper meaning. I love how GOD turns convention on its head making us dig deeper to find HIM, Mat 13:44.
How would you, Dr. Yeshaya Gruber, translate according to you, above, Hebrew understanding re: "faith," translate / comment upon the following two references mentioning "faith"?
Thank you for the question, Mary. Your question is about a text written in Jewish-Greek by a particular (idiosyncratic!) author, so one would have to take both those realities into account. The English word "faith" is of course not in the text at all. So what does Shaul/Paul mean here by πίστις (pistis) and the other words he uses? To do the topic justice would take more space, but my general way of thinking about the question may be inferred from the above article. The meaning he has in mind must lie somewhere along the spectrum from Hebrew emunah to Hellenistic pistis -- neither of which, by the way, is all that close to English "faith." In this passage he is telling a parable or giving a metaphor about the purpose of the Mosaic Torah. He compares this Torah to a "tutor" or "schoolmaster" whose students remain in his custody (or "guard") for a particular period of time. Once the students graduate -- i.e., successfully master the curriculum and are released out into the world -- they don't or at least shouldn't need to go back and sit in the schoolroom anymore. Similarly, reasons Shaul/Paul, if you can already live by emunah/pistis (i.e., with "steadfast reliability" in the way of justice and truth, which is the goal), you don't or shouldn't need to go back and learn these things again from a tutor (compare also Hebrews 5:12). As the same author writes elsewhere, "Law" is intended not for those who are already just, but rather for those who are lawless (i.e., criminals) and still need to learn justice (1 Timothy 1:9). This whole scenario forms part of his broader argument -- put forward in Galatians especially, but also elsewhere -- that Gentiles (non-Jews) who follow the God of Israel and the Jewish Messiah actually should not become circumcised proselytes/converts and take up Jewish identity. Rather, according to Shaul/Paul, they should remain as Gentile God-fearers (a theme he traces to the Hebrew Torah, prophets, and writings).
This really brooding my spiritual understanding of bible verse and the meaning of words Thank you, Uyi!
The just shall live by faith is found three times in the text, and faith is in things not seen, the differences in linguistics is neither here nor there. If we indeed live by faith and adhere to the word of God, we will be found just. Even in English words can have differing meanings, but in the context of the true meaning the point is adequately made. It's beautiful to dig deep into scripture and find what is behind the text but if we keep altering the text to please our understanding then why rely on the text at all. Thank you for the comment, Noel! I would argue that "linguistics" is indeed highly relevant, since that is what enables us to get any meaning at all out of the text -- especially in a foreign language like English. You write almost as if you think that some English translation (which one?) is "the text," and other translations are "altering the text." However, all translations (including mine) are necessarily flawed, all rely on linguistic study, and -- even when starting from identical original texts, which isn't always the case -- all present some unique interpretation. So the question here is not one of "altering the text," but rather of trying to figure out what the text actually says and means in its appropriate historical and linguistic context. Sadly, for nearly 2,000 years most translations have obscured and distorted all kinds of aspects of the original Biblical texts, partly as a result of theological biases and partly due to incorrect assumptions about the historical and linguistic contexts. At IBC we are privileged to form part of what is now a major movement (both inside and outside academia) that seeks to recover the more original meanings, to the best of our ability. We are glad that you are finding our articles enlightening. You’ve already started your path into Scripture, but there’s so much more that awaits you! Consider enrolling in our immersive online courses: The Name of God or Exploring Jewish Interpretation. We guarantee that they will deepen your understanding of Scripture and enrich your faith experience.
Faith is in things "not seen" because it is in things "heard", things spoken by God, as it is written "Faith (steadfast reliability) comes by hearing; and hearing by the word of God," Romans 10:17. Thank you for that very interesting explanation. I was always puzzled at having to accept anything on blind faith, in as much as it would stifle genuine questions and thought. I so thankful for this eye and heart opening translation. Blessing to all. Thank you, Ruth! I think that is a very important point. Indeed, how can one come to know truth if one stifles or suppresses questions? One of the drawbacks of credal religions (which say that you must believe and affirm opinions X, Y, and Z) is that they often prevent people from unashamedly giving what is often the most honest answer, "I don't know." Israel Bible Center equips you with the tools you need to enter into the Jewish world of Scripture. We provide first-rate teaching, and the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s top scholars. As a student, you will be able to interact personally with our teaching faculty, and gain access to hundreds of hours of Bible courses, including The Name of God and Exploring Jewish Interpretation. Become a part of the community of teachers and students at Israel Bible Center today!
Many thanks Dr. Gruber, this article has really reshaped my theological thinking with regard to the subject of "faith." The English Bibles we now wield and read are not necessarily reliable since they lost several valuable original ideas in translation. Stay blessed! Thank you, Joe! Some alteration and loss of meaning is inevitable in any translation. Sadly, however, most Biblical translations have also been heavily influenced by Christian anti-Judaic theology, which arose in the Roman Empire. Blessings to you as well.
Load more comments+ More answers (3)
God's reliability is well proven. Not by feelings but by his proven nature. Too many get hurt or discouraged because what they prayed for didn't happen. They didn't wait to see God's plan unfold. They were expecting to tell God what to do. Sorry.... He tells us what to do.
I recently did CPR on my husband. I will admit I begged for his life but I also know if the answer is no, then there is a reason. It is not blind feelings. It is trusting God will do what is best for us both. And we learn and grow in obedient relationship with him.
My husband of 33 years died some years back. I accepted that it was his time, but I wasn't happy with the outcome. Several years later I met a man who was truly seeking to learn about God and who wanted companionship in marriage. He has come to love God and enjoys Christan fellowship. When he stopped breathing and his heart stopped last week.... He came back with CPR and was amazed that he'd felt no fear. Dead or alive God can be trusted. That is faithfulness.
Walking by our feelings alone will leave us questioning and too often disappointed.
Faith is not intended to be a feeling. It is actually an action verb. That implies action on our part.
+ More answers (2)
J.
Gal 3:23 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:25 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
+ More answers (3)
+ More answers (3)